CINCINNATI, Oct. 30, 2007 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- The Procter & Gamble Company announced net sales growth of eight percent to $20.2 billion for the quarter. Every reportable segment delivered mid-single digit or higher sales growth. Organic sales were up five percent for the quarter, in-line with the company’s four to six percent target growth range. The Fabric & Home Care, Baby & Family Care and Grooming segments led the growth behind continued strong results on product initiatives across the globe.
Earnings per share were up 16 percent to $0.92 per share, including a one- time tax benefit which increased EPS by $0.02 per share. The company’s EPS growth, excluding the one-time benefit, was 14 percent. Earnings per share grew primarily behind strong sales growth and a 30-basis point improvement in operating margin. The company raised its fiscal year EPS outlook by $0.02 to reflect the one-time tax benefit.
“The fiscal year is off to a good start,” said A.G. Lafley, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer. “P&G continues to deliver broad-based top and bottom-line growth across its portfolio of businesses and geographies. This momentum, along with a robust initiative pipeline for the year, gives us confidence that P&G will deliver another strong year of growth.”
Key Financial Highlights
Net sales for the quarter increased eight percent to $20.2 billion behind five percent volume growth and a three percent favorable foreign exchange impact. Each segment delivered year-on-year sales growth of six percent or higher behind continued success on product initiatives. A number of the company’s key brands, including Charmin, Dolce & Gabbana, Downy, Febreze, Gillette Fusion, Head & Shoulders, Hugo Boss, Pampers, Pringles and Tide delivered double-digit sales growth. Organic sales, which exclude the impacts of acquisitions, divestitures and foreign exchange, increased five percent during the quarter.
Diluted net earnings per share increased 16 percent to $0.92, including a two percent one-time tax benefit related to a change in the German statutory tax rate. Net earnings increased 14 percent to $3.1 billion behind higher operating profit. Operating profit was up nine percent driven by sales growth and a 30-basis point margin improvement.
Gross margin was up 10-basis points to 52.9% of net sales during the quarter. Higher commodity costs had a negative impact of approximately 80- basis points. These were more than offset by volume leverage, cost savings projects and pricing.
Selling, general and administrative expenses (SG&A) were 31.0% of net sales, 20-basis points lower than the prior year period. Overhead spending as a percent of net sales was down due to overhead cost controls, Gillette synergies and volume scale leverage. This more than offset higher marketing spending as a percent of net sales to support key brands across the globe.
Operating cash flow was $3.2 billion, an increase of nine percent versus the base period. Working capital used $220 million more cash versus the base period, primarily due to business growth. Free cash flow as a percentage of net earnings was 87%, roughly in-line with the year-ago level. Capital expenditures were 2.7% of net sales during the quarter.
The company repurchased $2.6 billion of P&G stock during the quarter as part of the company’s previously announced share repurchase program. The company began purchasing shares under this program in July 2007.
Business Segment Discussion
The following provides perspective on the company’s July-September quarter results by business segment.
Fiscal Year and October-December Quarter Guidance
For the 2008 fiscal year, the company expects organic sales to grow by four to six percent, in line with its long term target range. The combination of pricing and product mix is expected to have a neutral to positive one percent impact on sales growth. Foreign exchange is expected to have a positive impact of about three percent. The net impact of acquisitions and divestitures is estimated to have a negative one percent impact on sales growth. Total sales are expected to increase six to eight percent. This is an increase of one percent versus the company’s previous guidance range due to the increased foreign exchange outlook.
The company also raised its earnings per share outlook by $0.02 for the fiscal year to reflect a one-time tax benefit. The company now expects earnings per share to be in the range of $3.46 to $3.49, up 14 to 15 percent versus the prior year. Operating margins are expected to improve by 50 to 100-basis points driven by lower overhead costs as a percent of sales and modest gross margin improvement. The tax rate for fiscal year 2008 is expected to be at or slightly below 29% excluding the 50-basis point benefit of the one-time tax gain.
For the October-December quarter, organic sales are expected to grow four to six percent. The combination of pricing and product mix is expected to be about neutral to sales growth. Foreign exchange is expected to have a positive impact of three to four percent. The net impact of acquisitions and divestitures is estimated to have a negative one to two percent impact on sales growth. Total sales are expected to increase six to eight percent.
The company expects earnings per share to be in the range of $0.95 to $0.97 for the quarter. Operating margins are expected to improve modestly as overhead cost improvements will largely be offset by lower gross margins. Gross margins are expected to be temporarily lower due to higher commodity and energy costs and the investments needed behind the North America laundry compaction initiative. P&G expects gross margins to recover in the second half of the fiscal year due to pricing, the benefits of the North America laundry compaction initiative and increased cost savings from restructuring projects. The tax rate for the quarter is expected to be at or slightly above 28% due to the anticipated timing of tax settlements.
Forward Looking Statements
All statements, other than statements of historical fact included in this release, are forward-looking statements, as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements are based on financial data, market assumptions and business plans available only as of the time the statements are made, which may become out of date or incomplete. We assume no obligation to update any forward-looking statement as a result of new information, future events or other factors. Forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain, and investors must recognize that events could differ significantly from our expectations. In addition to the risks and uncertainties noted in this release, there are certain factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated by some of the statements made. These include: (1) the ability to achieve business plans, including with respect to lower income consumers and growing existing sales and volume profitably despite high levels of competitive activity, especially with respect to the product categories and geographical markets (including developing markets) in which the Company has chosen to focus; (2) the ability to successfully execute, manage and integrate key acquisitions and mergers, including (i) the Domination and Profit Transfer Agreement with Wella, and (ii) the Company’s merger with The Gillette Company, and to achieve the cost and growth synergies in accordance with the stated goals of these transactions; (3) the ability to manage and maintain key customer relationships; (4) the ability to maintain key manufacturing and supply sources (including sole supplier and plant manufacturing sources); (5) the ability to successfully manage regulatory, tax and legal matters (including product liability, patent, and intellectual property matters as well as those related to the integration of Gillette and its subsidiaries), and to resolve pending matters within current estimates; (6) the ability to successfully implement, achieve and sustain cost improvement plans in manufacturing and overhead areas, including the Company’s outsourcing projects; (7) the ability to successfully manage currency (including currency issues in volatile countries), debt, interest rate and commodity cost exposures; (8) the ability to manage continued global political and/or economic uncertainty and disruptions, especially in the Company’s significant geographical markets, as well as any political and/or economic uncertainty and disruptions due to terrorist activities; (9) the ability to successfully manage competitive factors, including prices, promotional incentives and trade terms for products; (10) the ability to obtain patents and respond to technological advances attained by competitors and patents granted to competitors; (11) the ability to successfully manage increases in the prices of raw materials used to make the Company’s products; (12) the ability to stay close to consumers in an era of increased media fragmentation; and (13) the ability to stay on the leading edge of innovation and maintain a positive reputation on our brands. For additional information concerning factors that could cause actual results to materially differ from those projected herein, please refer to our most recent 10-K, 10-Q, and 8-K reports.
About Procter & Gamble
Three billion times a day, P&G brands touch the lives of people around the world. The company has one of the strongest portfolios of trusted, quality, leadership brands, including Pampers(R), Tide(R), Ariel(R), Always(R), Whisper(R), Pantene(R), Mach3(R), Bounty(R), Dawn(R), Gain(R), Pringles(R), Folgers(R), Charmin(R), Downy(R), Lenor(R), Iams(R), Crest(R), Oral-B(R), Actonel(R), Duracell(R), Olay(R), Head & Shoulders(R), Wella(R), Gillette(R), and Braun(R). The P&G community consists of 138,000 employees working in over 80 countries worldwide. Please visit http://www.pg.com for the latest news and in-depth information about P&G and its brands.
Media and investors may access the live audio webcast beginning at 8:30 a.m. ET at: http://www.pginvestor.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=104574&p=irol- ventDetails&EventId=1665200 (Due to length of URL, please cut and paste into browser.)
In accordance with the SEC’s Regulation G, the following provides definitions of the non-GAAP measures used in the earnings release and the reconciliation to the most closely related GAAP measure.
EPS Growth Excluding One-time Tax Benefit. The company incurred a favorable tax benefit that was one-time in nature and not related to any underlying operating business decision. The company believes that reporting EPS growth excluding this one-time item is beneficial to investors as it provides additional clarity and transparency into the true underlying business performance of the company.
The following provides a reconciliation of Diluted EPS to EPS Growth Excluding the One-time Tax Benefit for the July-September 2007 quarter:
Organic Sales Growth. Organic sales growth is a non-GAAP measure of sales growth excluding the impacts of acquisitions, divestitures and foreign exchange from year-over-year comparisons. The company believes this provides investors with a more complete understanding of underlying sales trends by providing sales growth on a consistent basis. Organic sales is also one of the measures used to evaluate senior management and is a factor in determining their at-risk compensation.
Free Cash Flow. Free cash flow is defined as operating cash flow less capital spending. Management views free cash flow as an important measure because it is one factor in determining the amount of cash available for dividends and discretionary investment. Free cash flow is also one of the measures used to evaluate senior management and is a factor in determining their at-risk compensation.
Free Cash Flow Productivity. Free cash flow productivity is defined as the ratio of free cash flow to net earnings. The company’s long-term target is to generate free cash at or above 90 percent of net earnings. Free cash flow is also one of the measures used to evaluate senior management and is a factor in determining their at-risk compensation.
The reconciliation of free cash flow and free cash flow productivity is provided below ($ millions):
CONTACT: Media: Doug Shelton, +1-513-983-7893; or Investor Relations:
Chris Peterson, +1-513-983-2414, both of The Procter & Gamble Company
Web site: http://www.pg.com/
